Dedication: Teh Smexx

My twin, my soul sister, my telepathic friend, my francesco agency partner, my darling, and the best friend anyone could ever ask for. This one, is for you. Sorry if it's a bit...sad?

Warnings: /dark/ themes, suggestive situations, yaoi. you have been warned.

To Tempt Fate

They said it was an accident. Something they could have never predicated. They claimed it could have happened to anyone. Anyone could have fell under the cursed, lucid spell that had shrouded the poor, innocent/pure/ soul it chose to devour. They said it wasn't anyone's fault; they blamed it on fate. To be quite frank, brutally honest, people only blame things on fate when they have nothing else, no one else better to lay the blame on. Fate is a factor in the world, if you chose to believe that, but it doesn't control our lives. We are the leading actor in our own lives, to be taken for a ride by some imaginary force entitled 'fate' is absurd. This could have been stopped. It could have.

His hands shyly raked through strands of silver, pulling him closer and closer. Blue eyes lidded with satisfaction and this new feeling overwhelming him. Sweet, small lips parted to emit a muffled gasp, choking from the short breaths he was being forced to take. Fingers clenched against that silky, comforting hair and he felt his body temperature rise.

Vitreous green eyes of an almost pure emerald shade stared distantly out at the horizon. His breathing was unsteady, and his body trembled. Fingers were thrusting themselves into the rough texture of the sand, digging small burrows back and forth, up and down. For some reason it helped; it eased the pain and took his mind off the real pain.

"Are you ever going to go see him?" The chipper, and yet so melancholic, voice inquired. Upon that voice carried a false sense of security, and inaccurate hope. Hope was another thing that we made up, just to fill special; powerful.

"Why should I?" Came the distant response. Green hues peeled themselves off the fiery sunset that could easily be mistaken for a fire in the distance. Dark eyes relocated themselves on the tall red-head who was swaying nervously back and forth on her heels. The very bottom of said heels dug into the soft, and yet so rough, sand below her. Her aquamarine eyes peered nervously at the other, as if frightened to come any closer.

"It'll help, Riku. I know it's hard. It's hard on everyone... but the doctors say he'll get his memory back shortly if we keep trying." She plastered a false smile onto her lips. Mephitic specks remained in the red-headed's eyes, showing her to be no t as innocent as her appearance perceived.

"Fine." His sigh was a result of the mental anguish.

"I mean... he's your best friend." Kairi cracked a restless smile at him, tossing her red hair over her shoulder. For some reason, some sick, twisted, sadisitc reason, this wasn't bothering the perky female as much as it was the older male. Green eyes that always shone with teasing sarcasm and good humuor were now drenched in frustration, despair, and utter hate.

"Not that he remembers." Riku grumbled in protest, eyes narrowing at the ignorant female. Anger coursed in his veins, boiling and mixing with despair. It was a toxic mix, made to kill, and used to convey emotions. Complex, and yet so simple if you broke it down.

"Riku..." Kairi sighed, taking note of how badly this was affecting her friend.

An almost inaudible moan past lips, followed by a shudder. Blue eyes snapped open from the unexpected relish as hands continued their careful and somewhat timid descend over his body. He was clumsy. He was frightened. He was new to this. They both were. They had already made so many mistakes, so many first time mistakes, and yet this felt so right that it felt like perfection. Fingers trailed over clothed flesh, teasing and pulling at it, as if to request the removal.

"Does he remember you?" Riku asked in a grumble, eyes glancing at Kairi as they walked along the beach towards the home of the amnesiac brunette.

The red-head gazed over to her side, eyes sweeping over the form of her friend. She shook her head before answering simply, "No." Hurt was evident in her voice, as if she was trying to make him /jealous/.

She always thought that she had him them both wrapped around her fingers. Like string, fragile string. Anytime she wanted to, she could give a tug on one of their strings for her own sick pleasure and watch them squabble and bleed for her own sake; her own personal pleasure. Other times she could keep pulling, pushing until that string broke. And perhaps that what had happened in the end.

Kairi thought she had the best of both worlds, that she got something; affection from both of them. Smiles, waves, occasional blushes. But she had no idea. No idea whatsoever what they held. Together. Seperate from her pathetic puppet mastering.

"I figured that." Riku replied, even simpler.

Lips messily, sloppily lapped at his exposed neck. The sensation drove him insane. But that wasn't the half of it. Fingers had begun to tug the shirt up and over his head, off completely. Lips and fingers trailed, explored the foregin area, as if it was some new land that had just been discovered. Perhaps it was, in some sense. Shameless gasps emitted from the brunette, body arching into the simple yet oh so alluring touches.

When they had arrived at the house, Kairi had been the one to knock. She pushed her hair out of her eyes, neatly tucking it behind her ea r. Riku remained silent, watching in envy at the girl. She was maniuplate, whether she knew it or not. She had a way of getting to people without lifting a finger. It was a mind game that they all played, and Riku had to be a step ahead of the game if he wanted the prize.

"Kairi." Taranda peered from the red-head, smiling weakly over to the distant Riku who was standing a few feet behind, "Riku." She added on, blinking slowly before addressing both of them, "I'm glad you're both here...Sora's in his room. He remembers something's... but I'm hoping both of you can help him? Just don't expect him to take to things too easily." She shruggged and opened the door.

Kairi entered with ease and charged off to Sora's room.

Riku lingered.

On Sora's mother's face was obvious tear stains. Those carefree blue eyes that he had always taken comfort in were now stressed and red lined. Days, weeks even of frustration and pain was showing in her. It was showing in everyone. Riku gave her a fragile smile, as if hoping that a simple gesture could place a piece of temporary scotch tape onto her heart, just until Sora was better. It was a weak attempt, but it helped.

She smiled back at him, looking thankful as she closed the door. Riku nodded off to her before making his way silently up the stairs and towards Sora's room. When he did enter the room, he saw Kairi sitting in a chair, trying her best not to break into tears from pain of seeing Sora in such a feeble state.

Riku's eyes darted across the dreary room to be met with a confused pair of blue ones. His heart melted, dropped, shattered.

"Sora.. do you know our names?" Kairi choked on her own words, giving a hopeful look to the brunette who had once been one of her best friends.

"...Kairi Mika...and Riku Karada..." Sora stated slowly, eying the pair, "...but I don't... know you. Either of you... just your names." Sora mumbled in shame, eyes glancing downward.

"We're your best friends," Kairi explained weakly, her hand reaching across the room to gently clasp Sora's.

Just witnessing the touch scorched Riku's heart as he stood silently in the corner of the room. Jade eyes remained focused on Sora, heart begging and praying for him to remember anything. Anything at all would suffice.

The brunette glanced from the kind girl to the somewhat distant teen in the corner. Blue eyes met green ones, and he was absolutely lost. He had no recollection of feeling that way before, but knew it meant something. Sora quickly looked away, not wanting to be caught staring. "Really?" Sora finally asked in regards to Kairi's question.

"Yeah." Kairi cracked an uneasy smile.

By now they had returned to gentle, chaste kisses. It was the one thing they were masters at. At this point they had probably swapped a hundred kisses, just that evening. It felt natural, right. But what they were treading on felt terrific, and yet terrifying. They had no idea how to go about it, and it was obvious from the fumbling fingers working at the other's shirt. It wasn't fair that he had to be exposed to the cold night air when his partner wasn't. Not one bit.

"Can you both... tell me about yourselves? Try and help me remember?" He asked sweetly, "I really want to remember. Really, I do." He gave a sheepish, almost hopeful look to the pair.

"...Well." Kairi began and then glanced at Riku, noticing something distant in his eyes. Something she had not seen before. Riku was hiding something, wasn't he? She shrugged it off and continued in her speech. "When I was six I came here... you and Riku were best friends, and allowed me to join in when you guys played." She gave a thankful look, "And we've been friends ever since... before the accident, before this happened, we were all planning on going to the movies. To see that movie that we all wanted to see."

Riku knew exactly what she was talking about. They had planned to go see a movie. Mostly him and Sora. Kairi had decided to come along from the request of Sora and Selphie. Mostly Selphie seeing she didn't want to be the only girl there. Riku's heart ached at the memory, wishing none of this to be real.

"Oh, right..." Sora trailed off, scratching his head.

"Yeah," Kairi sighed and then bit her bottom lip, "Do you remember anything, Sora?" She dared.

"..." He thought long, and he thought hard. "Silver. That's all. I just remember something silver... I guess it was just your hair...Riku.." He had trouble remembering the other's name at first but then it just slipped from his lips oh so gracefully. He had spoken it countless, millions times before, and it felt so angelic on his lips.

Riku gave a quick nod, eyes glimmering with something furtive. 'That's right, Sora...remember, please. Please remember before I drive myself insane.'

"My mom said that you guys were worried about me," Sora added on, blushing a bit from the idea, "I guess you guys really are good friends, eh?" A restless grin as he rubbed the back of his neck in addition.

"Heh." Kairi smiled and then arose to her feet, glancing at Riku for a moment. "We were just worried that you were hurt."

"Nah." Sora replied, feeling more comfortable with speaking to the two by the minute. Blue eyes fell from Kairi back to Riku. "I'm glad that you came.. it feels nice to be remembering some things." A cheesy grin.

"Yeah." Was really the first thing Riku said since he had been up there. "It's a real good thing, Sora."

The brunette shivered from hearing his name coming from the other. The way it flowed off his lips, sounded in his voice, it was all too familiar. "Heh." Sora smiled cheerfully and then paused. "I'm not sure how long you guys can stay... mom wanted the doctor to come over today.. to see when I'd be getting my memory back."

"Oh right, we'll leave." Kairi nodded helpfully, making her way to the door, not wanting to cause any problems. Sora nodded as she left the room.

Riku lingered, yet again.

"I really wish I could remember you, Riku..." Sora spoke regretfully, blue eyes showing how desperately he was trying. Riku shrugged and opened the door, whispering under his breath.

"You don't realize how bad I want you to."

x x x x

It was a week afterwards. The doctor had said that Sora would be getting his memory back fully any day now. Everyone was thankful it was just temporary, and soon ending. Kairi had been spending exceedingly large amounts of the time with the boy, and Riku very little. In fact, since their meeting all together at Sora's house, Riku had not seen him once. He blamed that on himself, and no one else. Not even Kairi, which was a rarity.

Of course, these kinds of things had their limits. One could only spend so much time away from something before they longed just to see it, smell it...

Gasps became more frequent as he felt cold and inviting fingers trail up and down the sides of his body, feverishly exploring his exposed body. He felt nervous, afraid. It was natural. Blue eyes met with shades of lucious green ones, and an uneasy smile was spread onto his lips. A laugh was shared between them before lips met once again in a kiss, moans intermingling as bare flesh met in the mix.

"Riku!"

Sora panted, chasing after the silver-haired male who was making his way down the beach. Green eyes glanced over his shoulder to the running brunette. Riku figured that he hadn't gotten his memory back yet. If he did, he probably wouldn't be doing that. Riku paused, allowing the other to catch up to him. Once done, Sora exhaled sharply, catching his breath with a restless smile.

"I wanted... to talk to you." He breathed out heavily.

"About?" Riku dared, lips piercing into a look of utmost seriousness.

"About...my memories." Sora admitted weakly, blinking.

"Go ahead." Riku spoke, a bit anxious, and somewhat terrified. He had no idea he was trembling.

"What were...you to me?" He was expecting the answer of a best friend, but in his heart, in his mind, he knew better.

Everything that had been swelling up in his chests for weeks, even months came to it's climax. It boiled, bubbled, and swelled. It grew larger, and hotter until he couldn't contain it anymore. Fingers weakly reached outward to interlace his hand slowly with Sora's. The brunette blushed, not understanding at all.

His gasps were drenched with pain and pleasure. With each wave of pain came a new pleasure. He was trembling, really he was, but his boyfriend's clasped tightly in his own made him willing to deal. Lips nipped and kissed at his neck as the wave of pain continued, until it grew unbearable. The pleasure soon followed, gasps falling from his lips. He was close. They both were.

Dexterous fingers slid on Sora's, maneuvering the younger's onto his own to run across a smooth band of silver. Blue eyes stared questioningly at him, wanting and demanding answers.

"We weren't friends, Sora." Riku whispered huskily into the other's ear, making Sora shudder.

"Then what..." Sora spoke, body shaking.

"We hated each other. You hated me, I hated you." Lips curved into a dark glare as he continued, "Rejection, Sora. If you're wondering why, that's it." His hand tightened on Sora's, wishing for the other to remember the truth. But the truth was what hurt them in the long run.

"I hate you Sora Kayaki."

And with that Riku Karada walked away.

"That was...amazing." Sora breathed, attempting to catch his breath.

"Are you... positive I didn't hurt you..." Mumbled Riku, hand reaching out in the darkness to clasp onto the other's.

"Nah..." Sora whispered back with a gentle smile.

"That's good." Riku smiled back sheepishly, fingering the silver band on both his and the other's fingers. Promise rings.

"I love you... Riku, forever." Sora murmured in the night, burying his chest into the crone of the other's neck.

And if only love was eternal. If only two weeks later Sora hadn't taken back those words and then threw away the ring.

Things could have been different this time, but Riku didn't want to mess with fate. It had already caused him enough suffering…